as in lie
a statement that is only partly true and that is intended to deceive people
I'm tired of all these half-truths—I want to know the real story.
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Recent Examples of half-truth
And the public is left drowning in a sea of hot takes and half-truths, trying to make sense of what—if anything—actually matters.
—
Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
True to the postmodern nature of DEI, the efforts to save it are a cacophony of half-truths, distortions, and downright lies.
—Ian Kingsbury, National Review, 22 Mar. 2025
Yet critics of American agriculture are spreading half-truths and outright lies.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
The issue is racially-charged and complex, and its discussion is often fueled by half-truths and myths spread online.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Everybody is lying or telling half-truths the whole time in this show.
—Max Gao, Variety, 22 Feb. 2025
Tribune reporter Ronald Yates then revealed in 1976 that two witnesses were forced to tell half-truths and withhold vital information during Toguri’s trial.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
After the Los Angeles fires, lies and half-truths about California's water policies and the state's emergency response spread at breakneck speed.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Whatever the case, half-truths and alternative facts are nothing new.
—Josh Browning, Big Think, 18 Dec. 2024
Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
True to the postmodern nature of DEI, the efforts to save it are a cacophony of half-truths, distortions, and downright lies.
—Ian Kingsbury, National Review, 22 Mar. 2025
Yet critics of American agriculture are spreading half-truths and outright lies.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
The issue is racially-charged and complex, and its discussion is often fueled by half-truths and myths spread online.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Everybody is lying or telling half-truths the whole time in this show.
—Max Gao, Variety, 22 Feb. 2025
Tribune reporter Ronald Yates then revealed in 1976 that two witnesses were forced to tell half-truths and withhold vital information during Toguri’s trial.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
After the Los Angeles fires, lies and half-truths about California's water policies and the state's emergency response spread at breakneck speed.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Whatever the case, half-truths and alternative facts are nothing new.
—Josh Browning, Big Think, 18 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
Noun
-
In some contexts, [Lay] is the past tense of lie, as in recline.—
Sam Corbin,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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Perhaps that’s what makes my lies defective and disjointed.—
Domenico Starnone,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Historians recently unveiled a rare 13th-century document depicting the tales of King Arthur and Merlin – and its survival is considered a miracle.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
13 Apr. 2025
-
That said, the tale of how a crude blue cartoon bear ran for office and actually did well despite common sense became far more relevant once Donald Trump began campaigning for the presidency.—
Steve Greene,
IndieWire,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
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Our goal this episode was ending certain stories in climactic ways, yet building a platform for the show to leap off.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Half-truth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truth. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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